Larry Holmes, the former heavyweight champion, believes Muhammad Ali would knock out Mike Tyson in a hypothetical matchup. Holmes, who fought both legendary boxers, shared his thoughts on this long-debated fantasy showdown.
Ali's career spanned 21 years, starting in 1960. He became a three-time world heavyweight champion and retired in 1981 after notable victories over Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman.
Tyson, nicknamed "Iron Mike," burst onto the scene in 1985. He became the youngest world heavyweight champion in 1986, stopping Trevor Berbick in the second round to claim the WBC title in Las Vegas.
Holmes, a former long-reigning world heavyweight champion himself, fought both Ali and Tyson. He stopped Ali in the tenth round in October 1980. Eight years later, Holmes faced Tyson for the undisputed heavyweight championship but suffered a fourth-round stoppage.
Based on his experience, Holmes favors Ali in this dream match-up. He shared his thoughts with TMZ Sports:
"Mike Tyson would get beat up because he's a face fighter. He comes in down low, and Muhammad Ali is a jabber. He'd get that jab in there just like he did with Joe Frazier. So, Mike Tyson would have to get around that jab, and he'd have a lot of problems getting around that jab. Mike Tyson would've been knocked out by Muhammad Ali."
Holmes points out that Ali's jab would be the key factor. He believes Tyson's style of coming in low as a face fighter would struggle against Ali's precise jabbing technique.
While this dream match-up will never happen, Holmes' unique perspective adds an interesting angle to the ongoing debate among boxing fans and experts.
